TRAMWAY STRIKE

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLIV, Issue XLIV, 6 May 1924, Page 7

TRAMWAY STRIKE

UGLY SITUATION

BLANK CARTRIDGE FIRED

• i ■T CABTJ9—PB*,rtS ABBOCIATIOIT—COFYBIGHf Received May 6, 10.25 a.m. i MELBOURNE, May 6. An ugly situation has occurred in connection with the tramway strike. When two constables were passing a crowd which congregated outside the Socialist Hall, they were subjected to hooting and abuse. The constables, after being threatened by the crowd, turned and made off with a large section of the mob in pursuit. They had gone about a hundred yards when one of them turned and fired a revolver at the crowd. The cartridge was a blank one, but it had the effect of stopping the pursuit. The incident appeared to put the crowd in an angry mood and several street fights followed. Shortly after a detachment of police arrived and dispersed the gathering. Following the disturbance two arrests were made. Many of the crowd threatened the police who were making arrests, but after some trouble.the angry section was quelled. All troopers were ordered to be ready for immediate action and police leave has been cancelled. No trams ran yesterday except on some electric circuits, but the full effect will not be felt till to-day, ! as yesterday was a holiday. The Railway Department ran many extra trains to cope with the traffic. * The Victorian branch of the Australian Railway Union, meets to-night, when it is expected that the tramway strike and the railway employeesattitude will be discussed. < The official Tramway Board stated that until the cable trams ceased yesterday they had been running continuously except on Sunday mornings for thirty-six years. , j A meeting of the Tramway Union passed a resolution placing the matter in the hands of the Trades Hall Disputes Committee; also favouring a fight to a finish.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.